It appears that Oman, one of our closest allies, has shut down an English-language newspaper because of what was viewed as a sympathetic article on homosexuals in Oman. I also heard that they are prosecuting the author and paper for offending local sensibilities.
Let me go out on a sidebar, here, and make all my Facebook friends, family members, acquaintances, and “frenemies” mad. While I think reasonable minds can hold a difference of opinion regarding reserving something called “marriage” for heterosexuals, I do not think that reasonable minds can argue that interfering with free speech is appropriate.
Some of you will be tempted to argue that Oman, Utah County, and Provo have a right to protect the morality of their communities by taking this action. This is more empty-headed than arguing Assad should be allowed, under the guise of sovereignty, to gas his fellow countrymen to preserve their morality.
The rationale suggests that some people hold a sincere, faith-based belief that homosexuality is criminal behavior. Frankly, some people have a sincere, faith-based belief that killing westerners and mutilating the genitals of their daughters, sisters, and mothers is a moral obligation. Fine. Argue the fine points of your faith-based beliefs in the market place of ideas and see how they stand up to time, reason, and the light of day.
Hmm – come to think of it – I’ll bet many papers in Oman contain all kinds of articles on how killing westerners is justified. Does that make any of you (all of my rational friends) want to go on a murderous rage? No. So, don’t take that rage and use it to jam your ideas down others’ throats by using or suggesting that the weight and rule of law has a place in suffocating free speech – even on morality.
Loren M. Lambert © September 5, 2013
Let me go out on a sidebar, here, and make all my Facebook friends, family members, acquaintances, and “frenemies” mad. While I think reasonable minds can hold a difference of opinion regarding reserving something called “marriage” for heterosexuals, I do not think that reasonable minds can argue that interfering with free speech is appropriate.
Some of you will be tempted to argue that Oman, Utah County, and Provo have a right to protect the morality of their communities by taking this action. This is more empty-headed than arguing Assad should be allowed, under the guise of sovereignty, to gas his fellow countrymen to preserve their morality.
The rationale suggests that some people hold a sincere, faith-based belief that homosexuality is criminal behavior. Frankly, some people have a sincere, faith-based belief that killing westerners and mutilating the genitals of their daughters, sisters, and mothers is a moral obligation. Fine. Argue the fine points of your faith-based beliefs in the market place of ideas and see how they stand up to time, reason, and the light of day.
Hmm – come to think of it – I’ll bet many papers in Oman contain all kinds of articles on how killing westerners is justified. Does that make any of you (all of my rational friends) want to go on a murderous rage? No. So, don’t take that rage and use it to jam your ideas down others’ throats by using or suggesting that the weight and rule of law has a place in suffocating free speech – even on morality.
Loren M. Lambert © September 5, 2013
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